NCN’s Nonprofit Centers Boot Camp is designed to bring your shared space to life by fusing the basics of real estate management with partner development and collaboration. Over the course of a day, you will
At the end of Boot Camp, you will walk away prepared to fulfill your vision
Foundation Center
312 Sutter St.
San Francisco, CA 94108
A firm grasp on the nuts and bolts required to develop and operate a nonprofit shared space.
A detailed project road map.
A network of support within the shared space community.
A toolbox, and actionable items, to ignite connection and engagement at your shared space.
Introduction / Orientation to Shared Space Models
Participants will get a sense of the breadth of the field of shared spaces and learn about models available across the US and Canada. Key takeaways include a definition of shared space, what centers look like, how they impact their tenants, and where the field is headed.
Mission and Vision
In the mission and vision segment, participants will learn the importance of clarity of mission and vision to the planning process. You’ll also analyze some mission statements from existing centers to employ the principles you will learn.
Needs Assessment
Do I really need to do a needs assessment? Yes!
In the needs assessment segment, participants will learn the components of a needs assessment and how it will set you up for continued success with your shared space project. Without a needs assessment, you might create a space that is too big and you will struggle to fill or you might take on too small of a space and have to turn people away. A needs assessment also shows potential funders and other partners that you mean business.
Break
Real Estate 101: Finding a Building
Shared space is different from traditional real estate, and not many brokers specialize in serving the nonprofit community. This component of Boot Camp will tell you what you need to know before you talk to a broker, and how to assemble a team of experts. Additionally, you will learn tips for selecting the right site, and whether or not you should buy or lease a building.
Capital Expenses: Paying for a Building
Once you know how much space you need, where does the money come from? NCN will walk you through the many sources of capital funding, ranging from capital fundraising campaigns to taking on debt.
Break
Real Estate 102: Becoming a Landlord
Congratulations! You’re a landlord. In this section, you will learn about how to transform your building into a place-based social enterprise. We will discuss unique components of the business model of shared space, like occupancy levels, load factors, and resource allocation. You’ll also learn how to calculate per square foot rental rates, and optimize space usage
The Business of Space: Revenue Streams and Pricing
In this section, participants will take a deep dive into how to maximize the revenues of operating a shared space with a mission driven business model. Over 70% of nonprofit centers are sustainable social enterprises, and this session will help you understand the many ways shared spaces can make money, including event rentals, coworking, and other more creative ideas.
Half Hour Break Grab a Bite! Take a Walk!
Partners and Collaboration
Partnerships are what make shared space so special. We will discuss what makes a good partner, try to map our networks, and discuss a variety of tools you can use to catalyze collaboration in your space.
Break
Decision-Making and Governance
Who decides who decides? In a traditional setting, the hierarchy of governance and decision-making is fairly straight-forward. The more organizations and features of your space that you begin to bring into the mix, the more complicated things get. See examples of how existing nonprofit centers have structured their process.
Making Your Case
We know shared space can be a challenging concept to explain. During this section, we’ll discuss different ways that nonprofit centers have explained their model, and give you tips for refining your project pitch.
Your Next Steps and Wrap Up
At the end of the day, we’ll discuss how you can apply the information we’ve learned, reviewing the road maps that were created throughout this session, and answering any lingering questions.